Regimental History Regimental History
War on Terror
Iraq - Afganistan 2003 to Present
Operation Iraqi Freedom

The 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment was formerly assigned to the 3d Brigade Combat Team of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson and deployed with the 3d BCT in March 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom I. The battalion redeployed back to Fort Carson in March 2004. As a result of the transformation of the brigade to the modular concept, elements of the battalion were changed to a cavalry squadron, the 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment in November 2004. 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment was reactivated at Fort Hood as part of the 4th BCT, 4th Infantry Division and deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, in fall of 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was replaced in the fall of 2006 by the 2d BCT, 2d Infantry Division from Fort Carson. This unit was temporarily assigned to 1st Cavalry Division to which the 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment was attached until February 2007 when the 4th BCT, 1st Infantry Division was assigned tactical control of Baghdad. 1st and 2d Battalions, 12th Infantry Regiment are currently assigned to 4th BCT, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado.

Operation Enduring Freedom

In December 2001, Companies B and C of the 1st Battalion deployed to Kuwait in support of Intrinsic Action 01-02 and later in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Elements of other units from within the 3d BCT, 4th Infantry Division made up the remainder of Task Force 1-12. The task force redeployed to Fort Carson in May 2002.

In May 2009, 1st and 2nd Battalions, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4BCT, 4th Infantry Division, deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom X. 1st Battalion was based in the Arghandab River Valley, west of Kandahar City, for the latter eight months of the deployment. Task Force 1-12's Area of Responsibility was referred to as the "Heart of Darkness" due to its significance as the birthplace of the Taliban, and also due to the inherent complexity of their mission. Much of their fighting was conducted in notoriously dense grapefields, which provided excellent concealment for insurgent forces. The 2nd Battalion was based in the Pech River Valley, Kunar Province, home to the Korengal, Waygal, Shuriak, and Wata Pour Valleys. During its time in the Pech Valley, the 2nd Battalion saw heavy fighting throughout their Area of Responsibility at the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains. In June 2010, Task Force 1-12 and Lethal Warrior (2-12), 4th BCT, 4 ID redeployed to Fort Carson, Colorado, after a successful 12-month combat deployment in Afghanistan.

In March 2012, 1st and 2nd Battalions, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4BCT, 4 ID, again deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This time, both battalions were based out of Regional Command East. Both battalions returned by December, 2012, after a successful 9-month combat deployment to their respective Areas of Responsibility.

February 2014, the 2nd Battalion was deployed to Afghanistan on a mission to provide security while the U.S. completed a move to draw down combat troops from the country. The majority of the unit returned to Ft Carson in September, with some smaller units of the Battalion not returning home until December, 2014.

2017, the 2/12th is sent to Afghanistan for six months, returning in November.

2018, the War Horse Brigade is deployed to Europe and the Middle East. The 1/12th and 2/12th are sent to Kandahar as part of a peace keeping mission and take over responsibility from the 82nd Brigade.They deployed in April and will return in the Fall.The last trip will make the Warrior Regiment the most deployed unit in the U.S. Military.

Current to date the Battalion has lost 41 soldiers (number needs to be confirmed) supporting these two individual campaigns.